Poodle Dog Breed Facts: Elegant, Intelligent, and Versatile

The Poodle is one of the most recognized dog breeds in the world. They are elegant, intelligent, and endlessly versatile.

They come in a variety of sizes, such as Teacup, Toy, Miniature, and Standard.

Poodles are very intelligent. Some say they are the smartest dogs, hands down. They have remarkable trainability, whether they are being trained for the show ring, performing tricks, or simply being a loyal companion.

With their beautiful curly hair, they stand out in both appearance and personality. Let's take a deeper look at these beautiful dogs!

Jump to:

• History of the Poodle
• Poodles of Today
• Sizes
• Temperament
• Health problems
• Exercise requirements
• Grooming
• Lifestyle

History of the Poodle

Poodles were originally bred as gun dogs. They probably descended from a French Barbet or Hungarian Water Hound, but there is also some claim that they originated in Germany or Denmark.

The distinctive clip of today evolved from the original hunter's trimming of the coat to keep the leg joints protected from cold water and sharp objects.

As well as being used for hunting waterfowl, the smaller variety of Poodle was used to hunt truffles.

Poodles of Today

Today, they are more frequently seen in the show-ring, as a performer or as a beloved family pet.

They also excel at agility competitions and are still used as hunting dogs in the United States and in Europe.

Poodles also have the distinction of being one of the most common ingredients in the new hybrid or designer dogs.

If you can look beyond the goofy show-ring hairdo, the Poodle in a "pet" or "puppy" cut is actually a very attractive dog.

They have an open, friendly face with eyes that are obviously intelligent.

The fur is very curly, long or short, and comes in white, apricot, cafe-au-lait, brown, gray, silver, and black.

For showing, they should always be a solid color or a variation of the same color, but there are also two-toned "party poodles".

The tails (in the States) are docked.

Sizes

All Poodle types have the same basic breed standard, only the size varies:

• Teacup Poodles are tiny, at two to four pounds, and are registered as Toy Poodles.
• Toy Poodles are no more than 10 inches tall and weigh from six to nine pounds.
• Miniature Poodles are 11 to 15 inches tall and weigh from 15 to 17 pounds.
• Standard Poodles are 15 inches or taller and weigh from 45 to 70 pounds.

Temperament

All Poodles are intelligent and fun-loving, but proud and elegant in the show ring.

The word that always comes to mind is "character".

They are all very friendly, love being with people, and are good with children, although the smaller Poodle types may not be suitable for small or rough children.

Poodles are alert, which makes them good watchdogs, but they are a bit too friendly to make good guard dogs.

They are easy to train and quick to learn.

They also love to play. In general, the Standard Poodle is calmer than the smaller varieties.

Health problems

All Poodles are generally long-lived, but they are subject to a variety of health problems, no doubt in part to their popularity and overpopulation by less than cautious breeders.

Cataracts, eye infections, and retinal atrophy are common, as are allergies and skin problems (often due to unskilled groomers) and Von Willebrand's disease (a form of hemophilia).

Miniatures are susceptible to epilepsy and heart problems, and Standards are prone to hip dysplasia and bloat.

Exercise requirements

All sizes need exercise, but the Tea Cup will require significantly less than the Standard.

Grooming

If your Poodle is going to be strictly a pet, apart from a trim three or four times a year, there will be no more work than any other longer-haired dog.

Learning to trim your dog yourself isn't difficult, but a good groomer is a great asset, and a professional cut isn't always that expensive.

Make sure to use a good-quality dog shampoo to avoid skin problems.

Lifestyle

Poodles are very adaptable to any lifestyle, but they are very social and will prefer to be with you as much as possible.

Tea Cup and smaller Toy Poodles are rather delicate creatures and need special consideration - jumping off the sofa can cause serious injury.